December 29, 2019

Eagles-Giants inactives, with analysis

By Jimmy Kempski
PhillyVoice Staff

As always, the Philadelphia Eagles have more than their share of injuries. Conversely, the New York Giants have a low number of injuries, at least for a team with a 3-12 record.

Here are the Eagles-Giants inactives, with analysis.

Injured guys

• RT Lane Johnson: Johnson is still recovering from high ankle injury suffered the last time the Eagles played the Giants. Halapoulivaati Vaitai did a good enough job a week ago against DeMarcus Lawrence, and is typically better when he heads into a game knowing he's the starter, as opposed to when he has to enter, mid-game.

• TE Zach Ertz: Ertz took a huge shot last week against the Cowboys.

Xavier Woods hit that has sidelined Eagles three-time Pro Bowl TE Zach Ertz pic.twitter.com/1nHgo0UsdK
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) December 22, 2019

He returned to that game, but apparently he has a lacerated kidney that the team has been hiding..

• WR Nelson Agholor: The Eagles now have four receivers after adding Deontay Burnett from the practice squad. He joins J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, Greg Ward, and Robert Davis.

• CB Jalen Mills: With Ronald Darby already done for the season, the Eagles sorta needed Mills to play. We saw how a starting duo of Rasul Douglas and Sidney Jones went earlier this season.

Healthy scratches

• QB Nate Sudfeld: Sud is the No. 3 quarterback, obviously.

• DE Shareef Miller: Miller has only been active for one game this season.

• OG Sua Opeta: Opeta was brought up from the practice squad a few weeks ago so that the Dolphins couldn't poach him.

Notable players on IR/Suspension/Other

• WR DeSean Jackson (IR): The Eagles' offense has had a pathetic lack of speed ever since Jackson suffered an abdominal injury Week 2.

• WR Alshon Jeffery (IR): Jeffery's 2019 season was a disappointment, as he had 43 catches for 490 yards and 4 TD receptions in 10 games, or an average of 4.3 catches for 49 yards per game in the games he played. He was also accused of being the anonymous source who criticized Carson Wentz and the Eagles' front office to ESPN reporter Josina Anderson. He's done for the season with a Lisfranc injury. To be determined if he has already played his last game as an Eagle.

• DT Malik Jackson (IR): Originally, the loss of Jackson hurt most when the Eagles forced obvious passing downs, as the Eagles didn't have a clear replacement for him in those second-and third-and-long situations. They have since moved Brandon Graham inside on those downs, with Josh Sweat coming in at LDE.

• CB Ronald Darby (IR): Darby returned to the team in 2019 after testing the free agent waters, and had a disappointing season before landing on IR with a hip flexor injury.

• LB Kamu Grugier-Hill: Grugier-Hill looked like he was primed for a breakout season, which was derailed in training camp with an MCL injury that caused him to miss the first three games of the season. After playing only 5 snaps against Washington, Grugier-Hill reported back pain, and he was shut down for the season on IR, with conflicting messages from the team and Grugier-Hill's agent.

• DT Hassan Ridgeway (IR): Ridgeway was a decent rotational DT who could eat up snaps before he went on IR.

• RB Darren Sproles (IR): Sproles is done for the season with a hip flexor injury. There was really no reason that all of his snaps shouldn't have been going to Miles Sanders in the first place. He said he plans on retiring at the end of this season.

• RB Corey Clement (IR): Clement worked his way back from a knee injury only to suffer a shoulder injury Week 2 against the Falcons. His shoulder wasn't getting better, so the Eagles shut him down for the season.

• OT Jordan Mailata (IR): Mailata has a back injury, but he's mainly on IR because the Eagles needed the roster spot.

• DE Joe Ostman (IR): Ostman was having a great camp, before he was lost for the season with a torn ACL.

• RT Mike Remmers: Remmers is a journeyman offensive lineman on his fifth team who has managed to start for his entire career, but is also not exactly an ideal starter. He'll likely be replaced by second-year pro Nick Gates, who has a pair of starts this season, one at RG and one at RT. This is a big opportunity for Brandon Graham to dominate this matchup.

• TE Rhett Ellison: Ellison has 7 starts this season. The Giants will be light at tight end, with Evan Engram on IR.

• TE Scott Simonson: Really light at tight end, that is.

We'll update with the rest of the Giants' inactives when they are made available.

Notable players on IR/Suspension/Other

• TE Evan Engram (IR): In 8 games this season, Engram had 44 catches for 467 yards and 3 TDs.

• S Jabrill Peppers (IR): Peppers is probably the best player in the Giants' weak secondary. In 11 games, he had 76 tackles, 1 INT, 3 forced fumbles, and 5 pass breakups.

• LB Ryan Connelly (IR): Connelly is a rookie linebacker who was off to a great start, when he tore an ACL and his season was over. In four games to begin the season, Connelly had 20 tackles (2 for loss), a sack, 2 INTs, and he contributed on special teams.

• WR Russell Shepard (IR): Shepard had 3 catches in 3 games before going on IR with a left foot sprain.

• LS Zak DeOssie (IR): This is the guy Jason Avant destroyed on DeSean Jackson's Miracle at the Meadowlands II (or III) walk-off punt return TD. This would be a penalty in 2019: